Ingredients

• 1 x 2.7kg/5lb10oz leg of lamb
• 1 small handful lavender
• preferably freshly picked
• ½ bag hay
• 50g/2oz butter
• softened
• plus an extra knob for the broccoli
• 10 King Edward potatoes
• peeled and cut into 2 or 3 pieces
• 75g/2¾oz beef dripping or vegetable oil
• 75ml/2¾fl oz malt vinegar
• 25g/1oz caster sugar
• 1 large bunch fresh mint leaves
• finely chopped
• 400g/14oz purple sprouting broccoli
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Pierce the leg of lamb 10-12 times all over using the point of a sharp knife
• then insert the lavender sprigs into the holes.
• Use the hay to stuff a large
• deep-sided roasting tray
• one that’s large enough for the whole leg of lamb. Sprinkle over the remaining lavender leaves.
• Place the leg of lamb onto the hay
• then rub it all over with the softened butter
• and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the roasting tray with aluminium foil.
• Roast the lamb in the oven for 2-3 hours (for tender meat with a trace of pink)
• or until cooked to your liking
• then remove it from the oven and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile
• bring the potatoes to the boil in a large pan of salted water and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Drain into a colander and shake them around to fluff up the edges.
• When the lamb has about an hour left to cook
• scrape the beef dripping into a large roasting tray
• add the potatoes and season with salt flakes. Add them to the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp on their undersides
• then turn them to coat them in the fat and continue to roast for a further 20-30 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp all over.
• Bring the vinegar and sugar to a simmer in a non-reactive saucepan
• then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped mint. Season with a pinch of salt.
• Just before serving
• cook the broccoli until just tender in a pan of salted
• boiling water (about 2-3 minutes). Drain and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper and a knob of butter.
• To serve
• transfer the lamb to a serving platter and carve into slices. Serve with the roast potatoes and purple sprouting broccoli alongside
• and drizzle over the mint sauce.